• OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    That’s what I did. Moved to AZ, which is a purple state, from CA. I joined a writing group here, and one member is an out gay conservative. No way could he have been that outspoken in a casual writing group in CA, he’d have been chased out.

    As someone more on the liberal side of things in general, it’s incredibly refreshing to be able to hold a good-natured conversation with him involved where he didn’t feel worry or concern about discussing his ideas.

    We have another lady in the group who writes hardcore far-left poetry, and those are always followed up by great conversations. She’s nice and not condescending to the conservative guy.

    I love being in a purple state, I wish more states were battleground states.

    • DarthBueller@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I live in a purple state in a rural area, and I HATE it. Not because there are conservatives, but because massive numbers of these conservatives are trembling with fear of the other and if they think that I am on their “side” for whatever reason, they won’t hesitate to say the most ignorant, racist, bigoted shit about “those people” - essentially anyone who isn’t straight and white, while demanding prayer of the exclusively evangelical variety in public meetings. Their world view is so insular that it’s suffocating to be around.

      • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Interesting. I don’t live in a rural area, so maybe that’s why I’m experiencing more of a balance. No one here that I know who are conservative say any of that stuff, and they didn’t say it around me before they knew my political leanings, either.

    • GiddyGap@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      I joined a writing group here, and one member is an out gay conservative.

      I find it unreal that an LGBTQ person would actually even consider the current Republican Party as a viable option.

      • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        How many of them do you talk to though? They certainly exsist, so seeking one out to talk about their experiences and views with might help you understand where they come from, even if you disagree with them.

        • GiddyGap@lemmy.worldOP
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          1 year ago

          I know a lot of people in the LGBTQ community. I have yet to meet someone who would vote for a Republican. But I’ll certainly ask about it if I ever meet one.

          • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            I’m not surprised. Since the LGBTQ community is fairly political, they’re not very accepting of LGBTQ people who don’t align with them politically. There are lots of LGBTQ people who don’t want to be part of the community because of how rigid it is in that regard.

            These are what the LGBT people that I’ve met has said specifically.

            Other than that, it’s likely that there are some who lean conservative but don’t speak up about it for fear of being shunned by the community.

            • GiddyGap@lemmy.worldOP
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              1 year ago

              The LGBTQ community is being assailed by the GOP at the moment. Literal physical threats. Whatever was left of support for the GOP from that community is quickly dissipating.

              • OceanSoap@lemmy.ml
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                1 year ago

                I don’t know if you’ve misunderstood, but I’m not a conservative, I just enjoy having political discussions with them, especially when they seem to be a contradiction in today’s world of party-line politics.